Saturday, July 14, 2007

Malli (Cilantro) Masala

Ingredients:
  • Cilantro - 2 bunch
  • Onion- 2 chopped
  • Garlic- 6 cloves
  • Sesame oil-4tsp
  • Salt
  • Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
  • Asafoetida - little
  • Tamarind-size of a small ball (soak and make a thick juice out of it)
For frying:
  • Coriander seeds-1 tsp
  • Red chillies-5
  • Cumin seeds - 1/s tsp
  • Gram dal - 2 tsp

Preparation:

  • Fry the ingredients above without oil in a hot pan and grind it into a coarse powder.
  • Clean and chop the cilantro.
  • Heat the oil in a pan and add mustard.
  • Once it starts to splutter, add onion and garlic and saute until golden brown.
  • Now add salt and turmeric powder and saute.
  • Add the cilantro, asafoetida and the tamarind water and stir for 2-3 minutes.
  • Then add the ground powder and cook for 3-4 mins and remove from heat.
  • Serve with hot rotis or with rice.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Peach Oats Crisp


This is a recipe I found on the food network and tried it at home and it turned out very good..This is a healthy snack too.

Ingredients:
Peaches, peeled and sliced -6 cups
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Honey -1/4 cup
All-purpose flour 1 cup
Rolled oats -1 cup
Brown sugar 1/3 cup
Cinnamon 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg 1/4 tsp
Soft butter (you could use the low fat ones) 1/2 cup

Preparation:
Place peaches in a 9 inch square pan.
Sprinkle with lemon juice and then drizzle with honey.
In medium bowl, mix together remaining ingredients .
Sprinkle mixture evenly over peaches.
Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until top is golden brown.
Cut it into rectangles and serve.
Note: The peach can be a little sticky at the bottom.So when you take it out be a little carefull not to break the pieces.

Methi Paratha

Methi (Fenugreek) is mainly used as digestive aid. It is ideal for treating sinus, lung congestion, reduces inflammation and fights infection. Fenugreek seed is widely used by nursing mothers.
In india, methi is mixed with curd and applied on hair as a conditioner.Also methi seeds are soaked in water overnight,ground into a paste and applied on hair for conditioning and to have a cooling effect on body.

Ingredients:
  • Methi (green fenugreek) - 1 bunch
  • Wheat flour -2 cups
  • Besan - 1/2 cup
  • Green chillies -5 chopped
  • Turmeric Powder-1/2 tsp
  • Chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
  • Ginger -1/2 inch cut into small pieces
  • Cumin seeds -1 tsp
  • Ajwain - 1/4 tsp (optional)
  • Oil
  • Salt
  • Curd-1 tbsp
  • Water
Preparation:
  • Separate Methi leaves from stem.
  • Wash the Methi leaves and chop finely.
  • Add all the other ingredients to the bowl.
  • Knead to a smooth dough.
  • Make lemon sized balls out of it .
  • Flatten the ball and roll it out as any other paratha.
  • Make parathas of medium thickness .
  • Heat the tawa and fry the paratha on both sides using ghee.
  • Serve with curd and pickles

Friday, June 22, 2007

Peas Masala

Ingredients:
  • Green Peas - 1 cup
  • Tomato (crushed) - 3/4 cup
  • Onion -1
  • Mustard-1tsp
  • Ginger paste -1 tbsp
  • Garlic paste -1 tbsp
  • Coriander powder-1 tsp
  • Chilli powder-1 tsp
  • Salt
  • Oil
  • Amchur powder 1/2 tsp
  • Garam masala -1/2 tsp
  • Cilantro Leaves-hand full
Preparation:
  • Soak Peas in water for about 1 hour.
  • Heat oil in a pan and add mustard to it.
  • Once it starts to splutter,add chopped onion,Ginger,garlic paste and saute.
  • Add coriander powder,chilli powder,garam masala and salt to it and saute for another 2 mins.
  • Now add crushed tomato to it and heat for 3-4 mins.
  • Now add the peas to it and add a cup of water and amchur powder to it and cook until the peas are cooked.
  • Once cooked,sprinkle cilantro on it and serve hot with roti or naan.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Thattai


Ingredients:

  • Rice-4 cups
  • Urad dal-1 cup
  • Butter
  • Bengal gram- 1/2 cup
  • Garlic-2 cloves minced
  • Red chillies(crushed) -2 tsp
  • Chilli powder-1 1/2 tsp
  • Salt
  • Sesame seeds-1/2 tsp
  • Asafoetida
  • Oil

Preparation:

  • Wash,clean and dry the rice well.
  • Fry the urad dal in a pan .
  • Powder both the rice and urad dal.
  • Soak the gram in water for 1 hr.
  • Make a dough out of rice flour, urad dal flour, soaked gram, asafoetida powder, crushed chillies, minced garlic,chilli powder, sesame seeds, salt and butter with very little water.
  • Take small amount of dough and press it flat and round.
  • Fry them in hot oil .
  • Store it in air-tight container.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Ash gourd (white pumpkin) Kootu


Ingredients:

  • Ash gourd - 1/2 kg
  • Chana dal -1 tbsp
  • Coconut grated - 1tbsp
  • Mustard -1 tsp
  • Curry leaves-4-5
  • Red chillies-3
  • Urad dal-1 tsp
  • Oil
  • Salt
Preparation:

  • Cut the ash gourd into small cubes.
  • Cook it in microwave for 3 mins with a little water.
  • In a pan,heat a little oil and season mustard, urad dal,chana dal,red chillies, and curry leaves and add the cooked ash gourd.
  • Saute and add salt .
  • Add coconut on it and turn off the heat.
  • Serve with rice

Technorati Profile

Kovakkai (ivy gourd) poriyal

Ingredients:
  • Kovakkai (ivy gourd) - 1/4 kg
  • Onion - 1
  • Peanuts - 10
  • Chana dal - 1 tsp
  • Mustard - 1 tsp
  • Urad dal - 1 tsp
  • Red chilli - 2
  • Oil
  • Salt
  • Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
  • Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
  • Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp

Preparation:
  • Cut each Kovakkai into 4 pieces lengthwise.
  • Cook it in microwave for 6-8 mins without water.
  • In a pan,heat oil and season mustard, urad dal, chana dal, peanuts and red chillies.
  • Once they are seasoned add the chopped onion to it and saute until it turns transparent.
  • Add the cut Kovakkai and saute.
  • Add the chilli powder,salt ,coriander powder and turmeric powder into it and keep sauteing it.
  • Turn off the heat when it turns golden brown.
  • Serve with rice.

Friday, May 11, 2007

Milagu / Pepper Curry


Ingredients:

  • Lamb leg steaks- 1/4 Kg cut into small pieces.
  • Pepper powder(freshly ground) - 1 1/4 tsp
  • Ginger paste-1 tsp
  • Chilli powder-1 tsp
  • Onion-1 chopped
  • Tomato-1 diced
  • Garam masala -1/2 tsp
  • Fennel seeds-1/4 tsp
  • Cloves-3
  • Oil
  • Water
  • Salt

Preparation:

  • Cook the lamb pieces in a pressure cooker.(3 whistles)
  • Heat oil in a deep pan and saute onion,fennel seeds and cloves in it.
  • Once it turns golden brown,add ginger paste,pepper powder,chilli powder,garam masala powder to it and saute for 1 min.
  • Add the diced tomato to it and saute again.
  • Now add salt and also the cooked lamb in to it.
  • Add a little water from the pressure cooker (used for cooking the meat) to this and turn the heat to medium.
  • Allow it to cook until it forms a thick mixture.
  • Take care not to break the pieces.
  • Serve with rice.

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Oinion Theeyal


Ingredients
  • Onions-1 chopped
  • Tamarind paste -1 1/2 tbsp
  • Grated coconut 1/2 cup
  • Red chillies -8
  • Coriander seeds 1 1/2 tbsp
  • Cumin seeds -1/2 tsp
  • Mustard seeds -1/2 tsp
  • Curry leaves -5
  • Black peppercorns -1 tsp
  • Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp
  • Sugar -1/4 tsp
  • Asafoetida
  • Water
  • Oil
  • Salt
Preparation :
  • Heat oil in a small pan and saute coconut till it is light brown.
  • Add the 6 red chillies, coriander seeds, pepper ,cumin seeds and fry.
  • Add the turmeric powder to the above.
  • Turn of the heat and cool it and grind it.
  • Heat oil in a deep pan and add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and the remaining red chillies. When it starts to splutter, add asafoetida and onions.
  • Saute for 5 minutes .
  • Now add the ground powder to the above and saute.
  • Add water, tamarind extract, salt and sugar to it and keep it on medium heat (the theeyal should not be too watery).
  • Serve hot with rice.

Valaikai puttu / Raw banana puttu

Ingredients:
  • Raw Banana-1
  • Coconut grated-2 tsp
  • Oil
  • Salt
  • Red chillies-2
  • Mustard-1/2tsp
  • Cumin Seeds-1/2 tsp
  • Split urad dal -1/2 tsp
  • Curry Leaves-5
  • Water
Preparation:
  • Cut the Banana into two halves .
  • Take water in a microwave bowl and drop the banana pieces in it and cook for 4 minutes.
  • Now allow it to cool and just slit the banana peel open and remove it.
  • Now grate the cooked banana .
  • In a fry pan ,heat oil and add mustard,split Urad Dal,curry leaves and once it starts spluttering add the red chillies and fry it.
  • Now turn the heat to low and add the grated banana and salt to it and just mix it.(since the banana is already cooked,do not keep it on heat for a long time).
  • Turn off the heat.
  • Sprinkle grated coconut on the top to finish it.
  • Serve with rice as a side dish.

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Sweet potato doughnut




I went to a friend's house for a get-together and found this recipe interesting.I took the preparation details from her and tried it in my own style with some additions.My family liked it a lot.Hope you like it too.



Ingredients:



  • All purpose flour-2 1/2 cups

  • Sweet potato (cooked and mashed)-1 cup

  • Egg-1

  • Baking soda-1 tsp

  • Salt-1/4 tsp

  • Sugar-1 tbsp

  • Sour cream-1 tbsp

  • Milk-1 tbsp

  • Cinnamon powder - 1/4 tsp


For the syrup:




  • Maple syrup -2 tsp

  • Sugar-1 tbsp

  • Milk-3 tbsp


Preparation:




  • Mix the sweet potato,all purpose flour,sugar,egg,salt,baking powder,sour cream ,milk and Cinnamon in a bowl.Make sure not to form lumps in the dough.

  • Knead it until soft.

  • Roll the dough on a clean sheet with some flour sprinkled.

  • Make sure not to roll it thin.

  • Cut them in the round shape and make a whole in the center(just like a regular doughnut)

  • Fry them in hot oil.

  • Make a syrup with sugar,milk,maple syrup and dip the doughnuts in the syrup and serve.



Chicken Sukha


Ingredients:

  • Chicken - 1/2 kg
  • Onion-2
  • Dried Red chilli -4
  • Ginger paste- 1 tsp
  • Garlic paste- 1 tsp
  • Coconut grated-1/4 cup
  • Turmeric powder -1/2 tsp
  • Garam masala-1 tsp
  • Cloves-3
  • Bay leaves-2
  • Curd-1/2 cup
  • Cardamom-2
  • Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
  • Coriander seeds 1/2 tsp
  • Peppercorns -1/2 tsp
  • Salt
  • Oil
Preparation:
  • Marinate the chicken pieces with little salt and turmeric for 30 mins.
  • Chop the onions.Fry it till golden brown in a pan with oil.
  • Add cumin seeds,cloves,red chillies,coriander seeds,cardamom,peppercorns to it and saute.
  • Also add garlic and ginger paste to it.
  • Add turmeric powder to it and take off the heat.
  • Grind the above along with grated coconut into a thick paste.
  • In a deep fry pan,take a teaspoon of coconut oil and bay leaves and heat it.
  • Now add the ground paste to it and add the curd in it.
  • Take the marinated chicken and slowly drop it into the pan.
  • Allow it to cook with the ground paste in the pan.
  • The heat should be set on medium so that the spices gets mixed with the chicken.
  • Cook until the paste becomes dry and gets coated on the chicken.
  • Optional:sprinkle some lime juice on it and garnish with coriander leaves and onion.
  • Serve hot.

Thursday, April 5, 2007

Aloo chat

Ingredients:
  • Potato-3
  • Garlic paste 1/4 tsp
  • Green chilli paste -1/2 tsp
  • Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp
  • Amchoor powder-1/2 tsp
  • Chat masala-1/2 tsp
  • Lemon juice-3/4 tsp
  • Cumin powder-3/4 tsp
  • Oil
  • Salt
Preparation:
  • Cut potato into cubes and boil until cooked but make sure it doesn't get overcooked.
  • Take oil in a pan ,heat it ,add cumin seeds to it and add green chilli paste , garlic paste
  • Saute for 2 mins.
  • Now add Cumin powder and saute.
  • Add the boiled potatoes,chat masala, amchoor powder and lemon juice to it and mix them well for 3 mins.
  • Add salt and take it off the heat.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves.
  • Optional: substitute lemon juice with curd or tamarind chutney .

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Rajma Curry


Ingredients

  • Rajma 1 cup
  • Onion Chopped 2
  • Tomatoes 3
  • Garam Masala 1 tsp
  • Coriander powder 1/2 tsp
  • Chilli powder 1 1/2 tsp
  • Cloves 2-3
  • Giner garlic paste - 1tsp
  • Green Chillies 3-sliced vertically
  • Few Curry Leaves
  • Oil
  • Salt
Preparation
  • Cook Rajma in a pressure cooker.
  • In a pan,heat oil and add the green chillies ,cloves and curry leaves.
  • Add oinion and saute until the oinion turns golden brown.
  • Add garlic ginger paste to it and heat for 1 min.
  • Add diced tomatoes to it and saute until it leaves oil.
  • Now,add the coriander powder, garam masala ,chilli powder and salt to it.
  • Drain the Rajma and mix it in the pan.
  • Pour 1/2 cup water to the pan and allow it to boil.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves.

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Ulundu kali


This is very good for health as it cools the body and is good for people with back pain.
This recipe mainly depends on the ratio in which we use the ingredients..So I have mentioned the quantity in parts.
Ingredients:
  • Black gram- 4 parts (split with skin)
  • Oil - 2tbsp
  • Coconut milk- 3 parts
  • Rice -2 part
  • Jaggery or sugar -4 parts
Prepartion:
  • Soak the black gram (with skin) and rice for 1 hour.
  • Drain and grind them .
  • Take coconut milk to a deep pan and add sugar/jaggery to it and boil for 5 mins.
  • Now add the ground paste slowly to the pan so that lumps do not form.
  • Once the mix is cooked add oil and mix it until the Kali doesn't stick to the pan.
  • Make small balls out of it and serve.
  • Optional:You could also add cardamom to it .